It’s time to get critical. Depending on your league format, playoffs could arrive in just a few weeks. As I highlight potentially impactful fantasy assets below, remember that every league is unique, shaped by the tendencies and habits of its owners. This means regularly diving deep into your free agent pool every few weeks is a smart strategy. Since waiver and free agent activity can happen daily, staying vigilant on the transaction log is essential—otherwise, valuable fantasy gems might slip through unnoticed.

In a surprising and welcome turn of events, the injury gods were kind this week. The biggest news comes from Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Logan Henderson, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right flexor tendon strain. According to reports, Henderson’s UCL remains intact, but this is still an untimely setback for the promising young pitcher. In five starts covering 25⅓ innings, the 23-year-old posted an impressive 1.78 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with a 3-0 record during his major league debut. The fact that his elbow remains intact is encouraging, but there is no guarantee the injury won’t flare up again in the future.

For those new to this column, it generally assumes point formats and will only feature players with around 50% ownership or less on Yahoo! A player will only appear twice if they continue to perform well in consecutive weeks. Happy hunting!

Waiver Adds

Andrew Vaughn, 1B - Milwaukee Brewers (52% Owned)

Andrew Vaughn has been an absolute standout since July 25, and this could be your last chance to add him from the waiver wire. While I’ve used this phrase before, I reserve it for players who have lingered too long on the wire but clearly shouldn’t be available. Vaughn experienced a brief slump just before this date, but he has since been performing at a high level consistently.

Over his recent 13-game stretch, the 27-year-old has been scorching hot, going 20-for-50 (.400) with five home runs, two doubles, 16 RBIs, and ten runs scored. Vaughn had recorded a hit in 12 consecutive games until a 0-for-4 outing on Friday. As I mentioned last week, the Andrew Vaughn breakout is here — and it’s worth your attention.

The University of California product is batting an astounding .358 (29-for-81) since Jul. 7. Milwaukee boasts one of the hottest lineups in baseball, and Vaughn has been their catalyst.

Jung Hoo Lee, OF - San Francisco Giants (41% Owned)

Jung Hoo Lee spent the first seven professional seasons of his career in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), debuting at just 18 years old. Throughout his KBO tenure, he never hit below .318, except during the only season he played fewer than 109 games (86 games). The Seoul native hasn’t yet fully realized his high-contact potential in Major League Baseball, but the foundation is strong, and he has shown promising upside throughout August.

This is Jung Hoo Lee’s first full season as a starter in Major League Baseball. While he has taken a slight step back compared to his limited 2024 performance, his exceptional plate discipline suggests this isn’t the peak of his potential. The 26-year-old outfielder could improve his walk rate, currently at 8.2%, but he ranks impressively in the 96th percentile for whiff rate and the 94th percentile for strikeout rate among big leaguers. Additionally, Lee has reduced his chase rate outside the strike zone and consistently makes solid contact, matching some of the league’s best hitters.

Although Lee has only 32 at-bats this month, he is batting .375 and has shown strong improvement overall since July, recovering from a slow start in May and June when he hit just .193. He is a player to watch and consider for next year’s fantasy drafts, especially in category leagues.

Ernie Clement, 1B/2B/3B/SS - Toronto Blue Jays (29% Owned)

The Toronto Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement is currently on one of the most unusual hot streaks in fantasy baseball. He’s hitting a scorching .375 with a .988 OPS this month, but his production has been inconsistent in a unique way. Over his last nine games, the former fourth-round pick has recorded five multi-hit performances, including impressive four- and five-hit games with five extra-base hits. However, in the other four games, Clement managed only 1-for-16 at the plate.

Clement is a contact specialist with an excellent strikeout rate of just 10.3%, better than Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee mentioned earlier. The Virginia native, however, is less selective with his pitch choices. Despite that, Clement has played every day for over a month and often bats as high as second in the lineup against left-handed pitchers, where he boasts a strong .338 average. He also holds his own against right-handed pitching with a .262 average, though his slugging percentage drops by over 200 points against lefties.

The Blue Jays’ versatile infielder had a slow July, batting just .212, but has maintained a .306 or better batting average since early May.

Isaac Collins, OF - Milwaukee Brewers (16% Owned)

Isaac Collins started the 2025 season quietly but has surged recently. Since June 14, Collins has been outstanding, hitting 49-for-146 (.336) with an impressive early August slash line of .455/.571/.773. While those numbers may be unsustainable long term, his solid .317 batting average against right-handed pitchers over 164 at-bats shows real skill.

Nearly a month after the All-Star break, the former Colorado Rockies draft pick boasts a strong 1.042 OPS. Although concerns remain due to his historically high BABIP in the minors, Collins adds value with a respectable stolen base total. He’s not the fastest player, ranking in the 55th percentile for sprint speed, but he has still succeeded in stealing bases, successfully swiping 13 of 18 attempts.

The switch-hitting 28-year-old has never hit more than 14 home runs in a season, but he's stolen as many as 30 bags (and 29 twice), and has naturally grown into some more pop as his body has matured. Milwaukee has been one of the best teams in baseball for quite a bit now, and Collins has begun hitting near the top of their lineup.

Jakob Marsee, OF - Miami Marlins (15% Owned)

I’ve held off on featuring Nathan Lukes for the third consecutive week despite his consistent production. However, his playing time may be limited now that fellow outfielder Dalton Varsho has returned. This doesn’t even account for the looming comeback of George Springer, who is recovering from a concussion. Still, Lukes remains a player to watch closely.

Now, turning to the Miami Marlins' No. 10 overall prospect, Jakob Marsee. Marsee was promoted at the start of the month following a modest .246 batting average in Triple-A this season. He impressed with an excellent walk rate near 16%, but few expected him to make such a significant impact so quickly after his call-up.

Central Michigan alum Jakob Marsee has just ten major-league appearances but has dominated professional pitching. In his first 27 at-bats, Marsee has recorded 11 hits, including four doubles, one triple, and a home run, boasting an impressive .407/.515/.741 slash line. He’s also contributed two stolen bases and nearly as many walks (six) as strikeouts (eight).

While I typically focus on Miami Marlins pitchers, that approach is shifting in 2025. With prospects like Kyle Stowers emerging and the strong performances of Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards, it’s time to give equal attention to Miami’s promising hitters.

Deep League Adds

Blake Perkins, OF - Milwaukee Brewers (4% Owned)

Blake Perkins may not be a long-term fantasy solution for outfielders, but he’s expected to get regular at-bats while teammate Jackson Chourio recovers from a hamstring injury. Perkins has made the most of increased playing time, recording four multi-hit games in his last nine appearances. After a slow start to the season due to multiple injuries, Perkins was a regular starter in 2024, stealing 23 bases across 121 games. While this hot streak might be temporary, it’s worth capitalizing on—especially if you’re managing Chourio and don’t have access to outfielder Isaac Collins.

Two-Start Streamers

Chris Paddack, RHP - Detroit Tigers (19%/43% Yahoo!/CBS)

Chris Paddack made a strong impression during his 2019 MLB debut. Over 140⅔ innings with the San Diego Padres, he posted an impressive 3.33 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, a 153:31 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and a 9-7 record. However, anyone following Paddack over the past six seasons knows he hasn’t matched that level of performance since.

Now in 2025, Paddack is pitching for the first-place Detroit Tigers. While the 29-year-old hasn’t fully regained his 2019 form, he has shown promising flashes this season—including an eight-inning, ten-strikeout outing with the Minnesota Twins.

In his most recent start, Paddack allowed six hits and four earned runs over four innings against the Twins. Before that, he had back-to-back starts with six innings pitched and just one run allowed each. Next week, he faces two bottom-ten offenses on the road: the Chicago White Sox and his former team, the Twins. The Twins have been hot recently, but Paddack is likely riding the momentum from his earlier strong start. Chicago averages just 3.84 runs per game and strikes out 8.43 times per game, making them a favorable matchup.

You can always drop Detroit’s newest rotation addition after his first start if needed. But if Paddack pitches at around 80% of his 2019 level, he could be a valuable fantasy starter down the stretch—especially with the Tigers’ offense supporting him.

Zebby Matthews, RHP - Minnesota Twins (17%/50% Yahoo!/CBS)

It’s rare for me to recommend two opposing pitchers in the same week—this might be the first time. However, Zebby Matthews and Chris Paddack are the two most intriguing, widely available starting pitchers right now. For the upcoming week—and likely moving forward—I prefer Zebby Matthews over Paddack, as Matthews has been underperforming his expected statistics by a promising margin.

I’ve tracked Matthews closely in recent weeks and added him before his start against the Red Sox, where he allowed eight hits and five earned runs. Thankfully, he bounced back with a strong performance against Detroit earlier this week, allowing one earned run or fewer in three of his last five appearances. The 6-foot-5 right-hander’s 5.17 ERA is inflated compared to his 3.85 expected ERA. Matthews also excels at limiting walks, with a low 6.0% walk rate, and boasts an impressive 28.9% strikeout rate, ranking in the 87th percentile among pitchers.

The 25-year-old right-hander will start the week facing a struggling Yankees team at home, followed by a matchup against the Detroit Tigers, which presents a tougher challenge. While both opponents have their strengths, this outlook is more a reflection of confidence in Matthews’ pitching ability than an easy schedule.

Thanks for reading, and good luck in your matchups next week!